A good friend who is and has been judge at the Calaveras County wine judging for a number of years has provided me with a copy of the results of the April 2016 judging. For those of you considering joining the annual Amador County Wine Tour September 24-25, here are some results involving Amador County Wineries.

As you know, Amador County is best known for its red wines, particularly zinfandel and barbera. In the zinfandel category, there were five flights with eight wines in each for judging in Calaveras this year. Terra d Oro 2014 Amador Zinfandel won a double gold (all judges awarded a gold) and was selected as the zin most representative of Amador County Zinfandels The Terra d Oro 2014 Deaver zin also received a double gold.

Other Zinfandel winners from Amador County included:

Runquist 2014 Cooper, Silver
Runquist 2014 Esola, Silver
Runquist 2014 Massoni, Silver
Convergence 2014, Bronze
Sobon 2014 Fiddletown, Silver
Sobon 2013 Old Vine, Silver
Sobon 2013 Cougar Hill, Gold,
Sobon 2013 Rocky Top, Bronze
Amador Cellars 2013, Silver,
Shenandoah 2013 Mittner Selection, Gold
Terra d Oro 2014 Home, Bronze
Deaver 2012, Gold
Driven 2010, Silver

In the Barbera category, there were two flights of eight:

Runquist 2014 Amador was awarded a double gold
Runquist 2014 Cooper, Gold
Sobon Estates 2013, Gold
Terra d Oro 2014, Silver
Convergence 2014, Silver
Driven 2012, Bronze
Bray 2012, Silver

Among the Sangioveses:

Bray 2012 Gold
Deaver 2012, Silver
Runquist 2014, Silver

Runquist also scored with its other red varietals as follows:

Runquist Carginane 2014, Silver
Runquist Touriga 2014, Silver

In the category Italian red varietal:

Runquist Charbona 2014 was a Gold
Terra d Oro Teroldego 2014, Gold
Terra d Oro Aglianico 2014, Silver
Runquist Alicante Bouschet 2014, Silver
Convergence scored a Silver for its new blend called “El Diablo” 2014 and a Gold for its Italian Job 2014.
Runquist 2014 “1448” scored a Bronze.

If you are interested in Tempranillo:

Runquist 2014 Shake Ridge double gold
Driven 2011 scored a Silver
Runquist 2014 Liberty, Gold
Convergence 2014, Silver

Primitivos included:

Driven 2012, double Gold
Driven 2013, Gold
Bray 2012, Bronze
Runquist 2014, Bronze
Convergence 2014, Silver

If you are going to Runquist, try the:

Petite Verdot scored a Silver

For you cab drinkers:

Sobon 2012, Bronze
Convergence 2014, Silver

Cabernet Franc:

Shenandoah 2013, Gold, best in class

In the Syrah category:

Convergence 2014 Silver
Amador Cellars 2013 Silver

Petite Sirah:

Deaver 2012, Gold
Runquist 2014, Silver
Convergence 2014, Silver

For you port drinkers – Non Vintage Port – Ruby:

Terra d Oro, double Gold

Vintage Port:

Terra d Oro 2005, double Gold, best in show
Convergence 2012, Silver

White Wines are available but usually made with grapes sourced from a different area, including Sauvignon Blancs from:

Amador Cellars, Silver
Shenandoah Vineyards 2015, Bronze

Other white winners:

Bray 2013 Verdelho which scored a Silver
Terra d Oro Viognier Chenin Blanc blend a Silver and its
2015 Nebbiolo rose a Gold as did its 2015 Pinot Gris/Grigio scored a Gold.

Viognier category Sobon 2015 scored a Silver, as did the Sobon Roussanne. If you stop at Lavender Ridge in El Dorado County on your way home be sure to taste the Lavender Ridge 2015 Grenache rose which won a Gold and was awarded best of class.

Several of the wineries we have previously visited, for example, Cooper, Helwig, Karmere, Vino Noceto, Terra Rouge / Easton do not appear in the results probably because they didn’t enter.

Last year we had lunch at Terra d Oro and it appears from the results that not only should we have lunch there again, but spend a good deal of time sampling their Calaveras County winners.

See you in September!
DeArmond Sharp